CACHE ME IF YOU CAN!

NEW 3rd Edition

3-D Box made of heavier greyboard

Unique Virtual Caches

Rules Clarifications

The Geocaching Board Game

There are an estimated 6 million people geocaching and now you can bring that kind of fun to your living room. For those times when you and some friends just want to go on the hunt without going out, now you can.

It’s all here! Caches, geocoins, hazards, multi-caches, puzzle caches, muggles and even a Swag Store.
Just like real geocaching, there are surprises along the way! 2- 4 Players Ages 8 and up

Cache Me If You Can! will never play the same way twice!

HOW TO PLAY

Players select one of 8 geocaching characters to play. Each player may move their piece up to 3 spaces along the trails and roads, otherwise they “explore” one space at a time. You will choose which direction to travel and where to explore or maybe you will decide to go to the store and build up more equipment. Equipment allows you to take specialized caches (like Night Caches) and provides you with protection. Points are earned by collecting caches and Geocoins. Point values are based on the difficulty of the cache type. Some caches will contain Geocoins. Geocoins will all have their own goal that can be accomplished for additional points. Event cards add twists and give players the ability to tip the game in their favor. It’s not like any other board game you have played!

PODCACHER Plays

Components

Movement in CMIYC!

WHY THIS GAME PLAYS LIKE MANY GAMES IN ONE!

There are layers of the game that change the strategy each time you play

The Game Boards

The trail heads are located by different buildings, where the boards are placed changes the difficulty in getting to those buildings.
Boards can be set side to side making deeper woods as opposed to the boards being set up off of two trail heads. This also changes how some events play out.

Caching Area Tiles

This is the most randomizing factor in the game. However, Map tiles and the ability to look at some of the tiles from the store reduces the “randomness” of landing on a card. If you know what is out there you can prepare for it.

Characters

The Character that you play changes the strategy that you use. If you have the Puzzler, you may wish to go right out into the Caching area before heading to the Sporting Goods Store.
The other Characters that are in play change your approach. If the Coin Collector is on the board you may want to wait to go to the Geocaching Mega Event until he or she has left the area.

Equipment

Cards are drawn at random, but you make meaningful choices each time. Deciding which piece of Equipment that you would like to activate will be based on your Character’s abilities, other Characters, what Caching Area cards you know are out there, and the general strategy that you chose to take.

Event Cards

Some Event Cards have immediate effects, this is a random effect. Other Event Cards can be saved to be used during your turn or at any time. Deciding when to use these cards and what cards you have will change each time you play.

GeoCoin Goals

Each Geocoin has a goal that triggers its point value. Do you chase after a cache or do you go after the Geocoin’s goal?

Quick Start Guide Do you want to just jump in without reading all of the rules? Or quickly teach friends. Click on the image to expand and print.

CACHE ME IF YOU CAN! DISCUSSIONS OF STRATEGY

with the game designers: Dan Hundycz & Marty DeMarte

DAN – Because there is the ability to pick up a number of specialized caches, I tend to be more aggressive about going out into the Caching area.

MARTY – I might go to the store once. It will depend on what Equip cards I have.

Strength: Can’t lose the ability to pick up specialized caches. Weakness: Susceptible to hazards and loss of turn. Night and Water caches aren’t worth as much as other specialized caches.

DAN – Too many times I have seen players forget about their ability and play the game as if they didn’t have it. The Borrower should go where other players go and not wander off on their own. The powerful ability to take Equipment from other players is counteracted by the Magnet. If a player has Poison Ivy, I will avoid them unless they have something really good or it is near the end of the game.

MARTY – Play near other characters. Lay in wait and hope they are lulled into a false sense of security. I try to get Equipment, go out into the field and not borrow right away, so that the other players might forget that I can. Unless, they have the Multi-Tool. I want to take that ability away from them and take it for myself.

DAN – Head towards the store early on in the game. Your ability is to shop, so you may as well use it! The situation will dictate what I take from the Equip deck. After the Multi-tool, I like to get the Sneakers so that I can navigate the trials faster.

MARTY – If it’s available I take the Multi-Tool right away. If it’s not and the Coin Collector or the Borrower are in the game I will go for the Safe or Magnet. Otherwise, I will go for whatever equipment I need… Flashlight, Water Gear, whatever.

Strength: Ability to get powerful items early on. Weakness: Needs Equipment, susceptible to hazards, loss of turn and can only use ability in the Sporting Goods Store (or with one Event card).

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DAN – Most of the other players will avoid going to the Geocaching Mega Event on their first turn if this character is in play, unless they have the Magnet. YOU may want to go ahead and pick up a geocoin right away. If someone makes a mistake and heads to the Mega Event, jump right on them and take their coin. Take the Calamine lotion if it becomes available! The Sneakers are nice too, it helps to chase down the stray gazelle.

MARTY – I normally sandbag and wait for everyone else to get coins. Hopefully they will accomplish the goal of the coin making it worth more points… and THEN I take it from them.

DAN – With this character, it will be more of a personal preference on your play style. If you are a risky more aggressive player you may head out to the caching area without much protection or tools. The player that likes to be more prepared may go through the store a number of times first. As is true with all the characters, much which will depend on all of the other factors around you. If a line of hazards forms, I tend to wait to cross, unless someone is going back to get equipment that will allow them to work their way through.

MARTY – I look for the line of hazards forming, then I try to slide across, knowing that the other players might not be able to follow. This allows me to get to a caching area that others may not be able to.

Strength: Can get to some spaces that other players may not be able to. Can avoid the Coin Collector and the Borrower more easily. Weakness: Needs Equipment, susceptible to hazards and loss of turn.

DAN – When the board reveals a number of terrain features, sometimes an area can be blocked of by hazards and Swamps. The Story Teller can walk right through without losing time. Given the right combination of starting Equip cards the Story Teller can run right out into the Caching area.

MARTY – Strength: Can cross Swamps and other revealed cards that cause loss of turn. Weakness: Needs Equipment and some susceptible to hazards.

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DAN – There is a choice with the Snoop. I tend to play aggressively, which means that if I “snoop” a card that I don’t value, I will move to another card and take a chance on it. The Snoop can be played much more cautiously, where you absolutely don’t move onto a card unless you have “snooped” it. This is a much safer and more time consuming tactic.

MARTY – When playing the Snoop, having a poker face will be important. When you look at a card and don’t move to it, other players won’t know if it’s a hazard, something that you don’t value or a cache you can’t take.

Strength: Can avoid non-productive spaces. Weakness: Needs Equipment and takes time to play cautiously.

DAN – After your first visit to the Geocaching Mega event, there is little reason to go back. Unless you want to trade with another player or to win the game with the advanced victory rules. Obviously, any Equip card with the Solve, you will want to choose the opposite piece of equipment. This may put you in a position where you have a duplicate piece. In that case, wait until there is something in the discard pile that you would like, head to the Swag Store and trade the duplicate card for the discarded one.

MARTY – Or you can trade that duplicate card with another player at the Geocaching Mega Event.

Strength: Can always take caches that require a Solve card. Weakness: Can lose Equipment, susceptible to hazards and loss of turn.